I am in the process of selling my apartment in Stilton and the estate agent has just e-mailed to say that the buyers are changing their property lawyer. The excuse is that the bank will only deal with property lawyers on their conveyancing panel. Why would a major mortgage company only work with specific lawyers rather the firm that they want to choose to handle their conveyancing in Stilton ?

UK lenders have always had panels of law firms they are content to work with, but in recent years big names such as Lloyds Banking Group, have considered and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have represented them for decades.

Mortgage companies blame a rise in fraud as the reason for the reduction – criteria have been tightened as a smaller panel is easier to oversee. Banks tend not to reveal how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society claims that it is hearing daily from firms that have been removed from panels. Some do not even realise they have been dropped until contacted by a borrower who has instructed them as might be the situation in your buyers' case. Your purchasers are unlikely to have any impact on this.

Do I need to visit the offices of the solicitor to execute the mortgage deed? If so, I will choose one who does conveyancing in Stilton so that I can pop in to their offices when needed.

As opposed to twenty years ago, the vast majority lenders no longer need their conveyancing panel solicitor to witness the mortgagors signature. You will still be obliged to supply identification documents and there are still manifest advantages to using a locally based solicitor, in your case a conveyancing solicitor in Stilton.

I have been told that property searches are the number one cause of delay in Stilton conveyancing transactions. Is there any truth in this?

The Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO) released conclusions of research by MoveWithUs that conveyancing searches do not feature amongst the common causes of hindrances during the legal transfer of property. Searches are unlikely to feature in any holding up conveyancing in Stilton.

Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold element on a property I put an offer in last month in what was supposed to be a quick, no chain conveyancing. Stilton is where the house is located. What do you suggest?

Flying freeholds in Stilton are not the norm but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Stilton you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds thoroughly. Your mortgage company may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Stilton may ascertain that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold residence.

Taking into account that I am about to spend hundreds of thousands of pounds on a two bedroom apartment in Stilton I wish to talk to a solicitor concerning thetransaction prior to instructing the firm. Can this be arranged?

This is something that we recommend - it is our preference to talk to you we do not take any clients on without you first talking to the lawyer due to be conducting your property ownership legalities in Stilton.There is no ‘factory style conveyancing’ - each client is an important person, not a file number. The law firms that we put you in touch with believe that the figure you are calculated and presented to you for residential conveyancing in Stilton should be the amount on the final invoice that you are charged.